Harrow.



UNITED STATES Patented May 23, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE LETTENMYER, OF BERRYVILLE, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO WILLIAM W. SMALLWOOD, OF BERRYVILLE, VIRGINIA.

HARROW.

sPEc'IFIcA'rIoN forming part of Letters Patent No. '790;443, dated May 23, 1905.

Application led January 23, 1905. Serial No. 242,315.

To a/ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE LETTENMYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berryville, in the county of Olarke and State of Virginia, have invented certain new andv useful Improvements `in Harrows; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in harrows, and more particularly to one which may be adapted for use as a cultivator.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine ofY this character-which will be simple and comparatively inexpensive lin construction, convenient Vand durable in use, and

highly eiicient in operation. l

' With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features `of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed. i

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a harrow constructed' in accordance with my invention. 'Fig 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2'2 in Fig. 1 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the machine; and Fig. 4 is a view simliar to Fig. 1, showing the'machine adapted for use as a cultivator.

Referring to the drawings bynumerals, 1 denotes a suitable frame upon which are journaled horizontally-disposed earth-working wheels 2. Two of these wheels are prefer ably provided, and they are mounted upon-y forwardly.

Each of the earth-working wheels 2 comprises a head or hub 6,.secured to crossed beams 7, which Vform the spokes of the wheel and whichhave their outer ends connected by a'circular rim or fel'ly 8. At suitable intervals around the periphery of the felly 8 are formed notches 9, which are provided Ato receivevertically-projecting harrow teeth or spikes 10. These teeth 10 are retained in the notches'9 by a tire or band 11, which is secured Vupon the periphery of the'felly 8, the upper portions of the teeth being slightly wedge-shaped to permit them to be fastened more securely. The harrow-teeth 10 shown in theV drawings are in the form of straight spikes whichhave pointed lower ends; but it will be understood that any other suitable form'of barrow-teeth may be substituted and they may be secured to the wheels 2 in any desired manner.

Projecting' vertically from the center of the head or hub 6 of each of the wheels 2 is a journal'orshaft 12, which is adapted to be removably journaled in vertically-disposed openings or slots formed in the side beams 3 and the cross-beam 4 of the frame 1. When the machine is to be used as a harrow, the wheels 2 are so mounted that they rotate with their peripheries almost in contact with each other, and in mounting the wheels in this manner their-shafts or journals 12 are passed through vertical slotsor openings 15, which are formed in the frame 1 at the intersection of its side beams 3 with its cross-beam 4. These openings 15 are circular in form and have their forward walls inclined upwardly and forwardly, as shown at 16, for the purpose of permitting the shafts 12 to tilt vertically in said openings. This tilting movement of the shafts permits the wheels 2 to give or yield when their teeth 10 strike obstructions in the ground, and thereby prevents breakage or damage to the machine, which would otherwise pins or studs 18 are provided upon this spring 17, so as to engage the shafts 12 and prevent endwise movement of said spring. '.Ifhe latter is removably mounted by means of a pin or key 19, which is inserted in alining openings 2O and 21, formed, respectively, in the cross-beam 4 and in a bar 22, which is pivoted at one of its ends, as shown at 23, upon the top of said bar 4. rIhe spring 17 rests upon the top of the pivoted bar 22 and is retained thereon by a shoulder 25, which is formed upon the key or pin 19 and which engages the top of said spring, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The pin or key 19 has its lower end tapered to snugly lit the openings 2O and 21. It will be seen that the ends of the springs 17 maintain the shafts 12 normally in a vertical position; but as soon as the teeth 10 of the wheels 2 strike an obstruction the shafts 12 will tilt forwardly against the tension of said-spring.

When it is desired to use the machine as a cultivator, the wheels 2 are adjusted from the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings to the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, in which latter position their peripheries are kspaced apart, so that the machine vmay be drawn forwardly over a row of corn or other plants which pass between the wheels, one of the latter being disposed upon each side of the row to cultivate the earth between said row and the adjacent one. As has been stated, the shafts 12 are removably journaled, preferably by passing through their upper ends cross-pins or keys 26, and when the machine is to be used as a cultivator the shaft of one of the wheels is removed from its opening 15 and mounted in a similar manner in an opening 27, formed in an extended rear portion 28 of one of the side beams 3 of the frame. This opening 27 is similar in shape to the openings 15 and is at a greater distance from the opening 15 upon the other side beam than the latter is from the other opening 15. rIhe shaft l2 is retained in the opening 27 in the same manner as in the opening 15, the spring 17 being ofy sufficient length to engage the ends of the shafts when the latter are mounted in one of the openings 15 and in the opening 27. In order to change the adjustment of the spring 17 so that it exerts its energy to retain the shafts in a vertical position, the pin 19 is removed from the alining openings 2O and -21 and inserted in openings 29 and 30, which are also formed, respectively, in the beam 4 and pivoted bar 22 and which are adapted to aline when the said bar 22 is swung to the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The operation, use, and advantages of the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. It will be seen that when the wheels 2 are adjusted in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and the machineis drawn forwardly the wheels Vwill rotate or oscillate, so that their teeth will perform effective work, and should they strike an obstruction the wheels will yield, as previously explained, in order to prevent any breakage or damage to the machine. Then the wheels are adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, so that they are spaced apart, the machine may be effectively used for cultivating corn or the like. '.lhe wheels are preferably of slightly-less dialneter than the space between the rows of plants, so that the machine will cultivate practically two rows at the same time. The machine may be readily moved from place to place by tilting it in a vertical plane, so that it may run upon the periphery of one of the wheels 2, as will be readily understood.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to bc limited to the precise construction herein set forth, since various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A harrow comprising a frame formed with vertical slots, toothed wheels, shafts for said wheels projecting through said slots, crosspins in said shafts for retaining the latter in said slots, a spring-bar, stops upon said springbar to engage said shafts, and a removable pin or key for securing said bar in engagement with said shafts and upon said frame, substantially as described.

2. A harrow comprising aframe, a horizontally-disposed earth-working wheel journaled upon one side of said frame, a second horizontally-disposed earth-working wheel,and means for journaling the latter upon said frame at different distances from said first-mentioned wheel.

3. A harrow comprising a frame having a bearing-opening upon one of its sides and two or more bearing-openings upon its other side and arranged at different distances from the first-mentioned opening, a horizontally-disposed earth-working wheel having its shaft journaled in the first-mentioned bearing-opening, a second horizontally-disposed earthworking wheel having its shaft journaled in one of the other of said bearing-openings, and

means for retaining said shafts in said openings, substantially as described.

4. A harrow comprising a frame having a bearing-opening upon one of its sides and two or more bearing-openings upon its other side and arranged at different distances from the first-mentioned opening, each of said openings having a forwardly and upwardly inclined wall a horizontally-disposed earth-working wheel having its shaft journaled in the firstmentioned bearing-opening, a second horizontally-disposed wheel having its shaft journaled in one of the other of said bearing-openings,

y and a spring-bar removably mounted upon IOO IlO

said frame. and engaged with said shafts to maintain them in avertieal position in said bearing-openings, substantially as described.

5. A harrow comprising a substantially triupwardly through said bearing-openings, al

spring having stops to engage the upper ends of said shafts, a pivoted bar upon the crossbeam of said frame, and a pin passing through registering openings in said bar and said crossbeain and havingashoulder to hold said spring upon said bar, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE LETTEN MYER. Witnesses:

N. E. HOFFMAN, J. W. FOLEY. 

